Grapple arrangement for vehicle

ABSTRACT

A grapple arrangement for mounting on a vehicle includes a generally U-shaped frame means for positioning on the rear axle of a vehicle with boom means pivotally mounted on the frame means. The boom means comprises a pair of members pivotally secured at one end to the frame means which members extend substantially parallel to each other and in the same direction away from the frame means. The outermost portion of said pair of members extend in a plane downwardly relative to the end of the members that is pivotally connected to the frame means, and brace means extend between the members to form a boom means of generally rectangular configuration. One brace means is positioned between the pair of members at the outermost end thereof and supports a reversible hydraulic motor with the shaft of the hydraulic motor extending beneath the boom means and secured to bracket means depending therefrom. Grapple means in the form of a pair of opposed tongs have an upper end pivotally secured to the bracket means. A hydraulic double acting cylinder is pivotally secured at one of its ends to the bracket means adjacent each of the opposed tongs and a piston rod extending from each cylinder is pivotally secured to each of the tongs for opening and closing the tongs. A double acting hydraulic cylinder is pivotally secured to the frame means and has a piston rod extending therefrom which is pivotally secured to the boom for raising and lowering the boom.

United States Patent [1 1 Byles 1 Sept. 9, 1975 GRAPPLE ARRANGEMENT FOR VEHICLE [76] inventor: Clauriste H. Byles, Hwy. 171 North.

Many, La. 71449 [22] Filed: Apr. 17, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 461,555

[52] U.t. C1. 294/88: 212]); 214/147 0'. 280/503; 294/106 [51] int. C1........ 866C 1/42 [58] Field of Search 294/88, 86 R. 106, 118; 214/147 G. 147 R; 212/8 R. 9; 280/503, 460 R. 402

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,327,879 6/1967 Lull 294/88 3,462,185 8/1969 Thomas 214/147 (3 3.513998 5/1970 Stone 294/88. 3.620.394 11/1971 Symons... 214/147 G 3,749,421 7/1973 Rudd 280/503 3.822.026 7/1974 Heins et al 214/147 0 Primary E.raminer-Evon C. Blunk Assistant Examiner-Jeffrey V. Nase Allurney, Agent, or Firm-Jack W. Hayden [5 7] ABSTRACT A grapple arrangement for mounting on a vehicle includes a generally U-shaped frame means for positioning on the rear axle of a vehicle with boom means pivotally mounted on the frame means. The boom means comprises a pair of members pivotally secured at one end to the frame means which members extend substantially parallel to each other and in the same direction away from the frame means. The outermost portion of said pair of members extend in a plane downwardly relative to the end of the members that is pivotally connected to the frame means. and brace means extend between the members to form a boom means of generally rectangular configuration.

One brace means is positioned between the pair of members at the outermost end thereof and supports a reversible hydraulic motor with the shaft of the hydraulic motor extending beneath the boom means and secured to bracket means depending therefrom.

Grapple means in the form of a pair of opposed tongs have an upper end pivotally secured to the bracket means. A hydraulic double acting cylinder is pivotally secured at one of its ends to the bracket means adjacent each of the opposed tongs and a pistonrod extending from each cylinder is pivotally secured to each of the tongs for opening and closing the tongs.

A double acting hydraulic cylinder is pivotally secured to the frame means and has a piston rod extending therefrom which is pivotally secured to the boom for raising and lowering the boom.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTEBSEP ems 3. 904.232

saw 2 OF 2 Various types of grapple arrangements have been proposed for handling articles, by way of example, logs.

The present invention provides a relatively simple arrangement which may be readily and easily secured on the rear axle or rear axle housing of a vehicle such as a tractor or the like. Boom means in the fonn of a rectangular frame member having one end pivotally secured to the frame means is provided with such boom means having an outer portion extending outwardly and downwardly relative to the frame means with which it is pivotally connected. The outer end portion of the boom means is adapted toreceive a hydraulic motor with a shaft depending therefrom and extending below the boom means, with bracket means secured to the shaft means.

Grapple means are secured to the bracket means, such grapple means being in the form of opposed tongs having one end pivotally secured to the bracket means and the other end curved inwardly. Dos'ble acting hydraulic cylinder means with piston ods extending therefrom have one end pivotally mounted on the bracket means adjacent each of the tongs with the ends of the piston rods being pivotally secured to the tongs to enable the tongs to be moved toward and away from each other for opening and closing thereof. The boom means is raised and lowered by a double acting hydraulic cylinder arrangement wherein the hydraulic cylinder is pivotally secured to the frame means and a piston rod extending from the hydraulic cylinder is secured to the boom means, both the hydraulic cylinder and the piston rod being secured substantially adjacent the middle of the frame and extending generally along the longitudinal central axis of the boom means to effect raising and lowering thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a grapple arrangement which may be removably secured on a vehicle comprising a frame means to be secured to the axle of the vehicle, a generally rectangular shaped boom means having one end pivotally secured to the frame means and its outermost end relative to such pivotal connection extending downwardly in a plane relative to the plane of the portion of the boom means which is pivotally secured to the frame means, and a grapple arrangement swivelly connected adjacent the outermost end of the generally rectangular shaped boom member including a pair of tongs with double acting hydraulic cylinder means associated therewith for moving the tongs toward and away from each other.

An object of the present invention is to provide a grapple arrangement which may be removably secured on a vehicle comprising a frame means to be secured to the axle of the vehicle, a generally rectangular shaped boom means having one end pivotally secured to the frame means and its outermost end relative to such pivotal connection extending downwardly in a plane relative to the plane of the portion of the boom means which is pivotally secured to the frame means, a grapple arrangement swivelly connected adjacent the outermost end of the generally rectangular shaped boom member including a pair of tongs with double acting hydraulic cylinder means associated therewith for moving the tongs toward and away from each other and wherein the swivel arrangement comprises a reversible hydraulic motor mounted on the end of the generally rectangular shaped boom member with a shaft extending below the boom member and a bracket means for supporting the grapple arrangement.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from a consideration of the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an exploded view illustrating the components of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view with one wheel of the vehicle removed to better illustrate the position in relationship of the present invention to the vehicle;

FIG. 3 is a partial end view illustrating in greater detail the swivel arrangement mounted on the downwardly extending portion of the boom means, the grapple means pivotally mounted on the bracket means which depends from the swivel means and the means for opening and closing the tongs comprising the grapple means; and

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating the hydraulic system for operating the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Attention is first directed to the exploded view in FIG. I of the drawings wherein the present invention is referred to generally by the numeral 8. Frame means referred to generally at 9 are provided for removably securing to the axle or axle housing of a vehicle and boom means referred to generally at 10 has one end pivotally secured to the frame means 9.

Swivel means referred to generally at 12 are mounted adjacent the outer end of the boom means 10, such swivel means having connected therewith the grapple arrangement referred to at 13.

When the frame 9 is'positioned on a vehicle axle housing, suitable means as illustrated at 14 are provided for raising and lowering the boom relative to the frame and vehicle. The grapple arrangement 13 includes reversible motor means referred to generally at 15 to enable the grapple arrangement 13 to swivel on the boom means as may be desired. Suitable means as referred to generally at 16 are provided for opening and closing the grapple arrangement 13 as will be described.

The frame means 9 is shown as being of generally U- shaped, such generally U-shaped arrangement being defined by the spaced plates 18 and 19 which extend in a generally horizontal relationship and parallel to each other with a vertical plate 20 extending therebetween and secured thereto by any suitable means such as welds or the like. It will be noted that the plates l8, l9 and 20 are arranged so as to form a pair of spaced rectangular supports referred to generally at 22 which are connected together by means of the member 23 extending therebetween. The member 23 is mounted adjacent the upper end 24 of the bracket arrangement 25 which extends outwardly beyond the vertical plate 20 and upwardly above the uppermost plate I9 as shown in the drawings. Thus, the member 23 is somewhat elevated above the plates 19 of the frame means 9. The bracket arrangement 25 supports the boom means 10 and more. particularly the boom means 10 includes a pair of members 30 and 31 which may be formed in any suitable manner such as hollow box construction and each has one end 30a and 310 respectively pivotally mounted within the bracket arrangements 25 and 26.

The members 30 and 31 extend from the vehicle upon which the present invention is mounted and generally in the same plane as shown and substantially parallel to each other.

The outermost portions 30b and 31b of 30 and 31 respcctively are shown as being inclined in a plane downwardly relative to the plane of the members 30 and 31 at their pivotal connection in the bracket arrangements 25 and 26.

This configuration of the boom means 10 facilities positioning of such boom means by the vehicle operator relative to logs or other articles to be engaged by the grapple arrangement 13.

A plurality of brace members as shown at 33, 34 and 35 are provided at spaced intervals longitudinally of the members 30 and 31 and extend therebetween. The brace member 35 which is at the outermost end of the boom means 10 relative to its pivotal connection with the frame means 9 forms the end of the frame means and the members 30, 31 and 35 form a generally rectangular frame member configuration as il s'strated in the drawings.

Mounted on the outermost member 35 is a reversible hydraulic motor 15, the shaft 37 of which depends below the boom means 10 as shown and bracket means referred to generally at 17 are adapted to be pivotally supported by the shaft 37. Such bracket means 17 in cludes a first bracket 40 comprising a body 41 with the upstanding spaced portions 42 and 43 to receive the shaft 37 therebetween. The opening 37a in the shaft matches the openings 42a and 43a in the portions 42 and 43 so that the bracket 40 may be pivotally supported on the shaft 37 by means of the bolt 45 and nut 46 secured therethrough.

The bracket 50 of the bracket arrangement 17 is pivotally secured to the bracket 40 by the nut and bolt arrangement 50a as illustrated in the drawings and the bracket 50 supports the grapple arrangement 13.

The pivotal arrangement of the bracket 40 on shaft 37, and the pivotal arrangement of the bracket 50 on bracket 40 forms a universal connection to enable the grapple means l3to move relative to shaft 37 in more than one plane.

The grapple arrangement 13 includes the opposed tongs 51 and 52 which are pivotally secured adjacent their upper ends 53 and 54 respectively by the nut and bolt arrangement as illustrated. The edges of the tongs i and 52 are serrated as shown in the drawings and the lower ends 55 and 56 of the tongs 51 and 52 are curved inwardly towards each other to further aid in grasping and retaining an article such as a log or the like.

The means 14 for raising and lowering the boom means includes the double acting hydraulic cylinder 14a having suitable connections 14!: and 140 for receiving hydraulic fluid. A piston rod 14d extends therefrom as shown in the drawings and the hydraulic cylinder 14a at one end He is adapted to be pivotally secured on the bracket 23a arranged' a djacent the middle of member 23.

A support 34a is mounted on the brace 34 and is positioned approximately on the center line forming the longitudinal axis between the members 30 and 31 of the boom means 10 and provides a support for pivotally receiving the end 14f of the piston rod 14d. By controlling the flow of fluid to the hydraulic cylinder 140, the boom means 10 may be raised and lowered.

The means 16 for opening and closing the tongs 51 and 52 includes the hydraulic double acting cylinders 160 having openings 16b and 16c adjacent each end thereof.

A piston rod 16d extends from each of the hydraulic cylinders 16a and one end 16c of each of the hydraulic cylinders is adapted to be pivotally mounted in the bracket 50 by the nut and bolt means as illustrated in FIG. 1 and the end 16f of the piston rod associated with each cylinder is adapted to be pivotally connected to the projection 51a and 52a on the tongs 51 and 52.

The hydraulic motor 15 is provided with a pair of openings 15a and 15b for connection with suitable conduits for supplying hydraulic fluid thereto so that the motor may be movedin either direction to swivel the grapple arrangement 13 as desired.

In FIG. 2 a portion of a vehicle is represented generally at 60, such vehicle being for example a tractor with one of its wheels being removed to better illustrate the mounting of the present invention with the other wheel being shown at 61 and an operators seat being illustrated at 62. (7

Suitable bolt and nut means referred to generally at 18a are adapted to secure the spaced generally U- shaped frame means on the rear axle housing referred to by A in FIG. 2. If desired additional bolts may be secured into the housing as shown at 20a.

In FIG. 2 the rectangular arrangement forming the boom means 10 is shown as being moved to an elevated position in dotted line, and it can be appreciated that the outennost portion of the rectangular boom means defined by the portions 30b and 31b being at an angle relative to the other portion of the boom member more readily accommodates articles such as logs which may be secured by the grapple arrangement depending from the hydraulic motor 15.

in FIG. 3 the swivel and grapple arrangement is illustrated in end view and the movement of the tongs 51 and 52 from full line position in their open position to the closed position is as shown in dotted line.

in FIG. 4, the schematic hydraulic arrangement for operating the present invention is illustrated. A liquid sump is represented generally at in dotted line which is communicated to a hydraulic pump 81. The control means for controlling the reversible hydraulic motor 15 is shown at 82 and when the lever 83 is pulled up, fluid is supplied to the reversible motor 15 to move it in one direction and when it is pushed down relative to the position as shown, fluid is supplied to the reversible motor 15 so that it moves in an opposite direction to swivel the grapple arrangement 13 in the opposite direction.

Similarly, the lever 84 may be actuated as above described to supply fluid to either end of the hydraulic cylinders 16a to open and close the grapple arrange meat 13 and the lever 85 may be manipulated in a similar manner as above described to supply fluid to either end of the hydraulic cylinder 14a for raising and lowering the boom means 10.

The configuration of the boom means 10 has several advantages. Since the grapple arrangement 13 is located along the central longitudinal axis of the tractor or vehicle, the load grasped thereby is similarly situated. Also the arrangement of members 30b and 31b enable the boom means 10 to be lowered enough to grasp a log or the like without requiring the booms means 10 to be unduly long. When the boom means 10 is raised, the load engaged by the grapple means 13 is able to swing in closer to the tractor. thus inhibiting turning over of the tractor. which may occur if the load were further back from the rear axle.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention are illustrative and explanatory thereof. and various changes in the size, shape. and materials as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made without departing from the spirit of.the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A grapple arrangement for mounting on a vehicle rear axle comprising:

a. frame means for positioning on the rear axle of a vehicle. said frame means including:

1. a pair of rectangular supports, said supports including: 1 a. spaced. parallel plates; and b. a generally vertical plate extending therebetween and secured to said parallel plates;

2. a bracket arrangement mounted on said rectangular supports; and

3. a member extending between and secured to said bracket arrangement;

b. boom means, said boom means comprising:

1. a pair of members pivotally secured at one end to said frame means and extending substantially parallel to each other in the same direction away from said frame means to define other ends of said members which terminate in spaced relation to said one end; and

2. brace members extending between said members at spaced longitudinal intervals therealong with one brace member at the other end of said members;

c. swivel means mounted on said brace member at the other end of said members. said swivel means comprising:

1. a reversible hydraulic motor mounted on said one brace member;

2. shah means depending from said motor and below said one brace member; and

3. bracket means secured to said shaft means;

d. grapple means pivotally secured to said bracket means;

' e. double acting hydraulic cylinder means pivotally secured at one end to said bracket means and piston rod means extending from said cylinder means and pivotally secured to said grapple means for opening and closing said grapple means; and

f. double acting hydraulic cylinder means pivotally secured at one end to said U-shaped frame means and piston rod means extending therefrom and pivotally connected to said boom means for raising and lowering said boom means;

g. said outermost portion of said pair of members adjacent said other ends extend in a plane downwardly relative to said one ends which are pivotally connected to said frame means;

h. means for engaging said frame means to removably position the grapple arrangement on a vehicle rear axle; and

i. conduit means for conducting fluid means to said double acting cylinder means and to said reversible hydraulic motor and to said double acting hydraulic cylinder means.

i i 0! i i 

1. A grapple arrangement for mounting on a vehicle rear axle comprising: a. frame means for positioning on the rear axle of a vehicle, said frame means including:
 1. a pair of rectangular supports, said supports including: a. spaced, parallel plates; and b. a generally vertical plate extending therebetween and secured to said parallel plates;
 2. a bracket arrangement mounted on said rectangular supports; and
 3. a member extending between and secured to said bracket arrangement; b. boom means, said boom means comprising:
 1. a pair of members pivotally secured at one end to said frame means and extending substantially parallel to each other in the same direction away from said frame means to define other ends of said members which terminate in spaced relation to said one end; and
 2. brace members extending between said members at spaced longitudinal intervals therealong with one brace member at the other end of said members; c. swivel means mounted on said brace member at the other end of said members, said swivel means comprising:
 1. a reversible hydraulic motor mounted on said one brace member;
 2. shaft means depending from said motor and below said one brace member; and
 3. bracket means secured to said shaft means; d. grapple means pivotally secured to said bracket means; e. double acting hydraulic cylinder means pivotally secured at one end to said bracket means and piston rod means extending from said cylinder means and pivotally secured to said grapple means for opening and closing said grapple means; and f. double acting hydraulic cylinder means pivotally secured at one end to said U-shaped frame means and piston rod means extending therefrom and pivotally connected to said boom means for raising and lowering said boom means; g. said outermost portion of said pair of members adjacent said other ends extend in a plane downwardly relative to said one ends which are pivotally connected to said frame means; h. means for engaging said frame means to removably position the grapple arrangement on a vehicle rear axle; and i. conduit means for conducting fluid means to said double acting cylinder means and to said reversible hydraulic motor and to said double acting hydraulic cylinder means.
 2. shaft means depending from said motor and below said one brace member; and
 2. brace members extending between said members at spaced longitudinal intervals therealong with one brace member at the other end of said members; c. swivel means mounted on said brace member at the other end of said members, said swivel means comprising:
 2. a bracket arrangement mounted on said rectangular supports; and
 3. bracket means secured to said shaft means; d. grapple means pivotally secured to said bracket means; e. double acting hydraulic cylinder means pivotally secured at one end to said bracket means and piston rod means extending from said cylinder means and pivotally secured to said grapple means for opening and closing said grapple means; and f. double acting hydraulic cylinder means pivotally secured at one end to said U-shaped frame means and piston rod means extending therefrom and pivotally connected to said boom means for raising and lowering said boom means; g. said outermost portion of said pair of members adjacent said other ends extend in a plane downwardly relative to said one ends which are pivotally connected to said frame means; h. means for engaging said frame means to removably position the grapple arrangement on a vehicle rear axle; and i. conduit means for conducting fluid means to said double acting cylinder means and to said reversible hydraulic motor and to said double acting hydraulic cylinder means.
 3. a member extending between and secured to said bracket arrangement; b. boom means, said boom means comprising: 